As the country grapples with a recent murder by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, the East End prepares for potential demonstrations and vigils. The panel expresses their personal views on the issues of ICE possibly causing more unrest than they solve. They also discuss the efforts of the Montaukett people to gain recognition from New York State, Jerry Halpin's unique style as the new Riverhead Town Supervisor, and horseshoe crab protection. They close the talk on a positive note about Peconic Community School's growth and the new programming's impacts on the local area.

This week's panel is:

1. Joe Shaw, Consulting Editor at The Express News Group
2. Bill Sutton, Editor-in-chief at The Express News Group
3. Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal
4. Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon

Enjoying this show? Rate and review us, and send this episode to someone who should hear it. Together we can keep community news alive on the East End.

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

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The Montaukett have been denied state recognition as a formal nation 7 times. In her recent veto memo, Gov. Hochul cites a case from 1910 in which the Montaukett were denied recognition as a formal nation. What is the reasoning behind her decision? Plus, what will the local impact be following the murder of Renee Nicole Good? The panel discusses these pressing issues plus horseshoe crab protection, Riverhead's news Town Supervisor, and a positive story about Peconic Community School.

Live on WLIW-FM Saturday at 10am, and on demand right here where you get podcasts.

Affordable housing continues to be a major topic of concern across the East End. New housing initiatives in Southampton and East Hampton will attempt to address it. The panel also outlines how frequent ICE sweeps and the presence of ICE officers is creating an air of great anxiety, especially among the Spanish-speaking community. Plus, the need for improvement to cellular tower and related infrastructure is becoming unavoidable.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Consulting Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Editor-in-chief at The Express News Group
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal
• Alek Lewis, Staff Reporter at Newsday
• Jack Motz, Staff Reporter at The Express News Group

Enjoying this show? Rate and review us, and send this episode to someone who should hear it. Together we can keep community news alive on the East End.

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

for Apple devices | for Android devices

Local journalism and community newspapers are the heartbeat of a place, especially places like Shelter Island. Jake Williams has a deeply personal connection to both Shelter Island and its struggling hometown newspaper The Shelter Island Reporter as someone with many family ties to the island and a former writer for the outlet. He joined the panel to talk about his journey, what drove him to create the show, the impact of collapsing local journalism, and more.

Listen to "Out of Print: The Unmaking of American News" here, and wherever you get podcasts.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal
• Jake Williams, journalist and podcast producer of "Out of Print"

Enjoying this show? Rate and review us, and send this episode to someone who should hear it. Together we can keep community news alive on the East End.

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

for Apple devices | for Android devices

Please enjoy this Express Sessions while Behind The Headlines is off. This was recorded live on October 23, 2025 and has been edited for time and conciseness. An unedited version can be found here.

The “Local Matters” event focused on Sag Harbor Village and the issues most important to residents, including those living in the village and the surrounding communities of Noyac and North Haven.

The panel included Sag Harbor Village Trustee Ed Haye, Sag Harbor Village Trustee Aidan Corish, Sag Harbor Variety Store owner Lisa Field, North Haven resident and The Church owner April Gornik, Sen and KPasa owner Jesse Matsuoka and Bay Street Theater Executive Director Tracy Mitchell. It was moderated by Executive Editor Joseph P. Shaw.

Fred W. Thiele Jr. is a former state assemblyman, life-long Sag Harbor resident, and now a regular columnist with the Express News Group and member of a number of nonprofit boards. He gives unique perspective on the politics of the East End, talking about the ways that national polarization have reached local elections and how voters react to national trends in small races.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal
• Fred W. Thiele Jr., East End politician and writer

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

for Apple devices | for Android devices

ICE has been enacting sudden raids throughout the East End of Long Island, causing widespread alarm and confusion, especially within the Latino community. Many families have stopped sending children to school, avoid medical appointments, and other basic parts of life for fear of being detained. Minerva Perez is Executive Director of OLA of Eastern Long Island, a Latino advocacy organization. She joined the panel to give detail and context around these instances as well as her position on what elected officials and leaders could be doing to prevent more violence from occurring.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal
• Minerva Perez, Executive Director of OLA of Eastern Long Island

Find out how to help OLA further its mission here.

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

for Apple devices | for Android devices

Please enjoy this Express Sessions while Behind The Headlines is off. This was recorded live on October 9th, 2025 and has been edited for time and conciseness. An unedited version can be found here.

The first in a series of five special Express Sessions events titled “Local Matters” focused on Southampton Village and the issues that are important to its residents. Topics included traffic, sewers, workforce housing, Lake Agawam and the business community’s struggles and successes.

The panel included Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger, Southampton Village Trustee Rob Coburn, Southampton Association member Jay Diesing, Southampton Village Police Chief Sue Hurteau, Topiaire Flower Shop owner Erin Meaney, and Government Advisor, Lake Agawam Conservancy Janice Scherer.